Turning Your International Background into Your Biggest Career Advantage
Table of Contents
TL;DR
Key Takeaways
Introduction: You Are Not Starting Again
How to Reframe Your Skills as a Unique Skills Mix
How to Build Local and Global Networks That Feel Human
How to Talk About Your Story in Job Interviews
How to Get Your Qualifications and Experience Recognised
How to Use Continuous Learning Without Starting From Zero
FAQ: Skilled Immigrants, Confidence, and Careers
Why This Work Is Real
About Hayley Sheppard
Your Next Step
TL;DR
Moving countries can make your career feel like it has been wiped clean, even when you have years of experience and talent behind you. You are not starting again; you are starting differently, with an international background that holds real career value. When you name your unique skills mix, build local and global networks, tell your story with confidence, seek recognition for your experience, and learn in a focused way, you begin to feel seen again. Your difference is not something to hide. It is the exact reason many employers need you on their team.
Key Takeaways
You are not "starting from scratch" – you are standing on years of cross-border experience, courage, and skill.
Your international background can be framed as a clear skills mix, not a messy history.
Networking is not begging; it is rebuilding your professional village, both locally and globally.
Interviews are easier when you turn your "differences" into clear strengths backed by real stories.
Recognition of qualifications plus small, local add-ons makes it easier for employers to trust your expertise.
Continuous learning should support your identity, not erase it or send you back to zero.
Introduction: You Are Not Starting Again
If you are a skilled immigrant, you probably did not expect your move to shake you this much. Back home, people knew who you were. You had a track record, a reputation, and a life that made sense. In your new country, it can feel like all of that has faded. Your degree is questioned, your experience is "different", and your accent walks into the room before you do.
This is more than a rough patch. It can feel like a fracture in your identity. You might notice yourself scrolling old photos and wondering where that confident, bright version of you has gone. You might be sending application after application and hearing nothing, quietly wondering if being an immigrant is the real reason. You might feel "in between" cultures: not fully at home in your old life, not yet rooted in this one.
If any of that feels close to home, I want you to hear this clearly:
You are not the problem.
You are not behind.
You are moving through a big, complex threshold that would shake anyone.
I know this because I have lived it. I moved from South Africa to Australia 18+ years ago. I rebuilt my career here while raising four daughters, navigating systems that did not recognise my qualifications, and figuring out how to feel like myself again in a country that did not know me. That journey—the grief, the rebuilding, the small wins—is why I do this work now.
And inside that same story is something powerful: your international background is serious career capital. You have lived and worked across systems, cultures, and expectations. You have already done what many leaders only talk about in theory. This blog is an invitation to stop shrinking from that and start using it.
How to Reframe Your Skills as a Unique Skills Mix
One of the most harmful messages skilled immigrants receive is, "You have to start again."
You are not starting again. You are starting from experience.
Instead of seeing your past and present as separate piles, I want you to see them as a skills mix – a combination of abilities that only someone with your story could offer.
That might include:
Degrees and training from more than one country
Fluency in more than one language and culture
Experience in global markets or different health, legal, or education systems
The social skills that come from reading new rooms and adjusting on the fly
The resilience of moving, rebuilding, and keeping your family afloat
Most CVs flatten this into job titles and dates. Your job now is to lift it back up and connect the dots for the reader.
A simple way to start:
Make a list of times people came to you for help – back home and here.
Write down situations you handle better because you have lived in more than one country.
Note the skills you gained through migration itself: planning, advocacy, decision-making under pressure, starting again.
Then shape a short "skills mix" paragraph, for example:
"I am a globally experienced [profession] who combines strong technical skills with cross-cultural communication. I have worked in both [country A] and [country B], and I am comfortable building trust with very different kinds of people and finding practical solutions in complex situations."
You can use that paragraph in your CV summary, LinkedIn "About" section, and when you introduce yourself. It helps people see you as a whole professional, not "the person without local experience".
How to Build Local and Global Networks That Feel Human
One of the sharpest shocks of migration is going from "everyone knows me" to "no one knows me here". Your skills did not disappear, but your visibility did. Networking is how you rebuild that visibility – not by forcing yourself to be someone else, but by creating genuine bridges.
Think in three layers:
Local industry networks
Join associations, meetups, and online groups in your field.
After events, send a simple LinkedIn message:
"Hi [name], I enjoyed your points about [topic] at [event]. I am a [profession] who recently moved from [country] and I am learning more about how [industry] works here. I would love to stay connected."
Diaspora and migrant communities
Connect with people from your region who are already working in your new country.
Ask about their experience:
"What surprised you most about working here compared to back home?"
"If you were arriving now, what would you focus on first?"
Global online networks
Stay active in international groups, forums, or communities in your field.
Share articles and comment from your global perspective. It reminds you that your world is bigger than one local job search and keeps your confidence steadier.
Volunteering can also be a powerful, strategic step. Choose roles that let you use or stretch your professional skills, rather than "any volunteer work at all".
This gives you:
Local referees who have seen you work
Stories you can use in interviews
A first sense of how workplaces function in your new country
You do not need hundreds of contacts. You need a small circle of people who know who you are, what you bring, and where you want to go next.
How to Talk About Your Story in Job Interviews
Interviews can feel intense as an immigrant. You may be aware of your accent, your "non-local" experience, and the gaps on your CV. Your mind might rush to over-explain or downplay. Let's bring some steadiness into that space.
Start with a clear, simple story:
"I spent X years working in [field] in [country], where I built strengths in [skills]. Since moving to [new country], I have been focussing on [local study, volunteering, short roles] so I can apply that expertise here. I am now looking for a role where I can [specific contribution]."
Next, turn the things you worry about into benefits:
Non-local experience → "I understand how this work looks in different systems, so I can spot patterns and fresh approaches."
Accent or language differences → "Working across languages means I listen closely, check understanding, and do not assume everyone is on the same page."
Career shifts after migration → "Moving countries has trained me to learn fast, adapt, and stay steady in change. I bring that same capacity into new roles."
Come in with 3–5 short stories that show you:
Solving a problem with limited resources
Learning a new system quickly
Working with people from very different backgrounds
Handling conflict or a misunderstanding with care
Use a simple structure: situation, what you did, what changed. Then link it to the job:
"That experience taught me to stay calm when things are unclear and check understanding with everyone. I see that as important in this role because…"
You can also gently answer unspoken concerns about commitment:
"I have built my life here now, and I am committed to my career in [country]. That is why I have invested in [local course, volunteering, membership]."
This shows you are not just "trying this country out". You are building a home and a future.
How to Get Your Qualifications and Experience Recognised
It is painful to feel like your degree or years of responsibility no longer "count". While you cannot rewrite every rule, you can reduce uncertainty for employers and for yourself.
Start by finding out:
Is there an assessment body for your profession?
Are there registrations or memberships that signal credibility?
Are there bridging courses designed for internationally trained professionals?
Even if the process is slow, having a plan often feels kinder than guessing. You can then say in applications and interviews:
"My original qualification is from [country]. I am currently working through [assessment, membership, bridging course] so that my skills are clearly aligned with local standards."
Where full recognition is not possible or will take time, think in terms of add-ons, not "starting again":
Short local courses in tools, systems, or regulations that show up in job ads
Certificates that show you understand local compliance or safety requirements
Training that helps you understand how your field is structured in this country
Translate your past roles by explaining scope, not just titles: budgets, team size, who you reported to, what decisions you made. This helps employers map your experience onto their own structure.
Most importantly, let this process support your confidence. Your knowledge is real. Your experience is real. You are simply building a bridge so others can see it more clearly.
How to Use Continuous Learning Without Starting From Zero
When your confidence has taken a hit, it is tempting to keep collecting courses in the hope that one more will finally make you feel ready. Learning is powerful, but it works best when it is focussed and kind.
Before you sign up for anything, ask:
What exact gap am I closing – technical, cultural, or confidence?
Does this show up in the job ads or roles I am aiming for?
How can I apply this in real life within the next month?
Alongside technical skills, pay attention to transferable skills that travel well between countries: communication, digital literacy, facilitation, project coordination, stakeholder management. You likely already have many of these; short, targeted learning can help you name and polish them for this market.
A helpful reframe:
❌ Not "I need this course to be good enough."
✅ But "This course helps me bring more of my strengths into this new context."
Each micro step – a short workshop, a small project, a new tool – is another brick in the bridge between who you were and who you are becoming here.
FAQ: Skilled Immigrants, Confidence, and Careers
What if I do not have local experience yet?
You still have experience, just not in this country yet. Focus on translating your previous roles into language that matches local job ads, and look for small ways to build local proof: volunteering, short contracts, internships, or community projects. Even a small local role plus strong international history can be convincing.
Should I hide or minimise my accent?
Your accent carries your story. You do not need to apologise for it. Aim for clarity, not perfection: slow down a little, check understanding, and use plain language. You can also say, "English is my second language, so I take care to make sure we understand each other clearly," which frames your approach as thoughtful, not flawed.
Do I have to retrain in a completely new field?
Sometimes a career shift is right, but it does not need to come from panic. Before retraining, look for overlap between what you already know and what is needed here. Often you can pivot, using new learning to extend your existing skills, instead of wiping them clean.
When You're Feeling Stuck
How do I explain gaps after moving countries?
Be honest and grounded:
"When I moved to [country], I spent time settling my family, learning the local system, and investing in [course, volunteering, part-time work]. I am now ready to step back into a role where I can bring my full skills."
Most employers understand that migration is a big adjustment. Your clarity and intention matter more than a "perfect" timeline.
What can I do when I feel too discouraged to keep applying?
If you are exhausted, you do not need more pressure; you need gentleness and one small next step. That might be asking someone you trust to review your CV, reaching out to one person for a conversation, or pausing applications for a week while you rest and reconnect with why you came. You do not have to push alone, and you do not have to be perfectly strong to deserve a good outcome.
Why This Work Is Real
In my first program, every single person showed up each week. They told me this gave them clarity they could not find elsewhere—not vague motivation, but actual shifts they could feel and use. One person said, "Everyone needs this."
That is what I am building: support that works because it is real, not because it is hyped.
About Hayley Sheppard
Hayley is an immigrant (South Africa → Australia), mother of four, and the founder of Rooted & Rising—a coaching practice for skilled immigrants whose careers and talents are undervalued after relocation. With 18+ years of experience navigating identity rebuilding, career transition, and cultural adaptation, plus a professional background in education leadership and multicultural community work, Hayley helps immigrants turn displacement into direction through trauma-aware, evidence-led coaching. She believes in belonging you can feel and confidence you can measure—built through small tests, clear scripts, and values-led community.
Your Next Step
Your international background is not something to fix before you belong here. It is the very thing that can help you build a career that feels grounded, dignified, and honest.
I am Hayley Sheppard. I am an immigrant (South Africa → Australia), a mother of four, and I have spent nearly two decades figuring out how to belong here without erasing who I was there. Now I help other skilled immigrants do the same—not through hacks or guarantees, but through clear, kind, evidence-led steps that honour both who you were and who you are becoming.
If you would like support to:
Name and package your unique skills mix
Build local and global networks that do not feel fake
Shape a clear career story for your CV, LinkedIn, and interviews
Take practical, kind steps that protect your energy and your hope
…I would be honoured to walk alongside you.
On this call, we will gently untangle where you are stuck, reconnect with the grounded, capable version of you that might feel far away right now, and map out your next steps—without asking you to leave your past self at the door.
You deserve to feel seen, valued, and at home in your own career again.
